Weekend Preview: Cocktail Of Meds, Not Party

Oct 31, 2013 11:37 PM EST

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This is the easiest prediction I have made all season — the absolute best game in the American Athletic Conference on Saturday will be Temple at Rutgers.

Not that I am going out on a limb to make that pick. It is the ONLY game in the conference this week. UCF, UConn, Memphis and SMU are off this week. Cincinnati beat Memphis on Wednesday and Houston played South Florida on Halloween.

Other conferences seem to give its teams off weeks in some respect. Last week, LSU, Ole Miss and Auburn each had rests. They did have to don the shoulder pads because Furman, Idaho and Florida Atlantic showed up for a game, but essentially it was a week off.

I don't think I have ever seen a conference in midseason have just one game on Saturday and I don't get it.

Then again, I don't get why Hawaii has in interstate road system. By definition, an interstate is a road that connects states. Where does the road from Honolulu go?

HUMOROUS LARCENY: A wise man once said good writers borrow from other writers; great ones steal.

In my attempt at greatness, I am robbing the mind of my friend and Florida State fan Amanda Harris. She seems to think the Seminoles will not have much of a problem in Miami heads to Tallahassee this week.

Breaking News Alert:

It has just been reported that "Ibis" (Miami's Mascot) has taken the job offer from Aflac after hearing they are playing the number-three Noles this weekend in Tallahassee.

Good one Amanda. I love rivalry humor.

FORGET BEING P.C.: For old school fans, this week is still the "Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" as Georgia plays Florida in Jacksonville.

The rivalry has produced some of the greatest moments in college football during the last century. Herschel over the top, Buck Belue to Lindsey Scott and Tebow's dominance.

There is only one thing that will dominate in this year's game: busy trainers.

Injuries have ripped apart both the Gators and Dawgs and it is amazing each squad can field a two-deep chart.

In years past, the game has been the cocktail party. This year it has become the survivor game.

There should be enough pain killers in Jacksonville to make Cheech and Chong blush.

It won't get easier either. Florida still has South Carolina and Florida State on the schedule, while Georgia faces Auburn and Georgia Tech.

HEISMAN POSES AND POSERS: If Ohio State's Braxton Miller is going to make a move in the Heisman race, this would be a good time to do it. The Buckeyes travel to Purdue on Saturday. Not only are the Boilermakers bad this season, they have only played twice since September. Miller needs to do something against a bad, rusty defense.

The top three still seem to be quarterbacks. Oregon's Marcus Mariota is off this week. Johnny Manziel gets a snoozer against UTEP, but then there's Florida State's Jameis Winston. Unless you are a die-hard Aggies fan, no one will see much of the Texas A&M game, but Florida State has Miami. The Canes do not seem impressive, but they are undefeated. Another Clemson-like performance can push Winston to the forefront.

A BIG DAY FOR THE BIG TEN: Michigan State can make a statement this week. The Spartans are undefeated in the Legends Division and take on rival Michigan, which happens to be in second place. A win over the Wolverines would have Sparty sitting pretty, but they can only enjoy the potential win for a short time. MSU takes on third-place Nebraska in Lincoln on Nov. 16.

Two wins by Michigan State should lock up the division for the Spartans.